Bucknell is in the middle of hosting Freeman Week, a celebration of the College of Management community at Bucknell ending on April 14. Ever since 2019, the year that the Freeman college was named, the weeklong event introduced students to industry leaders and alumni alike. 

The Walling Lecture, an invitation only event, took place on April 13, with speaker Mike Molinet ’07, entrepreneur & co-founder of Branch and co-founder of Thena.ai.

“The Walling Lecture is funded by the Fitz Roy & Mary Jane Walling Management Endowment and honors Fitz Walling’s many years as a University leader. He served as the longtime dean of admissions; helped start the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering and the former College of Business Administration; and established the Office of Planned Giving.”

The centerpiece of Freeman week, the Business Trends Summit, will occur on April 14 across campus, with seminars being held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

According to the webpage, “the summit is open to current Bucknell students, faculty and staff from all majors, class years and departments. Join us for one session, the entire Summit or whatever fits into your schedule.”

The event will begin at 8 a.m. with a breakfast in Holmes Hall Lobby, and will end with a concluding lunch in the same place, with remarks by Interim Dean Cindy Guthrie and Samek Art Museum director Richard Rinehart.

There are a number of events that fill out the remainder of the day. 

Session one, from 9 – 9:45 a.m., will include the following: 

Networking through a Brand Management Path in Holmes 251 by Leanna Archer ’16. Archer is a Brand Manager for Unilever. This will include an interview by Professor Gabriela Diego of Markets, Innovation and Design Department.

Building a Career through Accumulated Experiences in Holmes 202 by Paul Sturman ’83, M’84, P’26. He is the Executive Advisor for KKR & Co. Inc. and former CEO of The Bountiful Company.

The Importance of Sustainability in Organizations in Holmes 102 by Paul Ridder ’93, P’24 Former Regional Vice President, Flowers Foods; Former President, Tasty Baking Company. 

Session two, 10 – 10:45 a.m., includes:  

The Journey of Entrepreneurship in Holmes 202 by Mike Molinet ’07. This will include an Interview by Professor Bill Meek of the Management and Organizations Department.

Leading Technology Trends and Risks with RSM in Holmes 251 by Sudhir Kondisetty ’90 and Laurie Mosebrook ’88. Both Kondisetty and Mosebrook are Principal in their field at RSM, with Kondisetty in risk consulting and Mosebrook in management consulting.

The Art of the Deal in Holmes 301 by Eric Roddy ’98 and Susan Roddy ‘98. Eric Roddy is a Managing Director & Partner at William Blair while Susan Roddy is a Managing Director of Health & Beauty Investment Banking at Houlihan Lokey. 

Session three, 11 – 11:45 a.m., is: 

The Evolving Workplace, Implications for a New Joiners Path in Holmes 202 by Dave Sharpe P’24 and Brad Langer ‘96. Sharpe is a Partner at PwC. Langer is a Managing Director at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

In the Face of Change, Prepare to Pivot in Holmes 116 by Jennifer Ciotti ’13, Michael Davis ’13, and Jesse Dondero ’13. Moderated by Missy Gutkowski, Assistant Dean of Experiential Learning. Ciotti is a Senior Brand Strategy Manager for Vanguard. Davis is a Principal in their field at Microsoft and a Venture Partner for Overline. Donero is Director of Revenue for Wonolo.